Plague — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

noun verb /ˈplāg/

Meaning & Definition of Plague

Plague (noun)

  1. a disastrous evil or affliction, calamity
  2. a destructively numerous influx or multiplication of a noxious animal, infestation
  3. an epidemic disease causing a high rate of mortality, pestilence

Plague (verb)

  1. to cause constant or repeated trouble, illness, etc. for (someone or something)
  2. to cause worry or distress to
  3. to disturb or annoy persistently

Plague (verb) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. to cause persistent suffering to

    "plagued by a cough for all of last week"

    similar: afflict, agonize, anguish, bedevil, beset, besiege, curse, excruciate, harrow, persecute, rack, torment, torture
    related: assail, attack, badger, dog, hound, pursue, ride, aggravate, agitate, annoy, bother, bug, chafe, distress, disturb, exasperate, gall, get, grate, gripe, hagride, harass, harry, irk, irritate, molest, nettle, peeve, pester, pique, put out, rasp, rile, vex, discomfort, discompose, disquiet, fluster, grieve, perturb, strain, stress, trouble, try, upset, worry, crush, oppress, overpower, overwhelm, smite, strike, tyrannize, victimize, hurt, pain, pang, prick, smart, stab, sting, wring, martyr
    near: abet, aid, assist, help, deliver, release, relieve, reprieve, comfort, console, content, quiet, solace, soothe, succor

Plague (noun) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. a widespread disease resulting in a high rate of death

    "the Black Death was a plague that killed about one third of Europe's population in the Middle Ages"

    similar: pest, pestilence
    related: murrain, epidemic, pandemic, affection, affliction, ailment, contagion, illness, infection, infirmity, malady, sickness, blight, curse, scourge

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Plague

The most common words with a similar meaning to Plague:

afflict, agonize, anguish, bedevil, beset, besiege, curse, excruciate, harrow, persecute, rack, torment, torture, pest, pestilence

Related Words for Plague

assail, attack, badger, dog, hound, pursue, ride, aggravate, agitate, annoy, bother, bug, chafe, distress, disturb, exasperate, gall, get, grate, gripe, hagride, harass, harry, irk, irritate, molest, nettle, peeve, pester, pique

Near Antonyms of Plague

abet, aid, assist, help, deliver, release, relieve, reprieve, comfort, console, content, quiet, solace, soothe, succor

Word Forms of Plague

Inflections: plagued, plaguing

Derived words: plaguer (noun)

Origin & Etymology of Plague

Middle English plage, from Late Latin plaga, from Latin, blow; akin to Latin plangere to strike plaint

First known use: 14th century

Words & Phrases Containing Plague

anti-plague, bubonic plague, avoid (someone or something) like the plague

Frequently Asked Questions about Plague

What does "Plague" mean?

"Plague" means a disastrous evil or affliction, calamity. As an a noun and a verb, it is defined as: a disastrous evil or affliction, calamity. It has 2 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Plague"?

Other words for "Plague" include afflict, agonize, anguish, bedevil, beset, besiege, curse and excruciate. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Plague" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Plague"?

There are 92 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Plague". Common alternatives include afflict, agonize, anguish, bedevil, beset, besiege, curse, excruciate, harrow and persecute.

How do you use "Plague" in a sentence?

Examples of "Plague" in a sentence: "plagued by a cough for all of last week"; "the Black Death was a plague that killed about one third of Europe's population in the Middle Ages".

Is "Plague" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Plague" can be used as a noun and a verb, depending on the context.

How do you pronounce "Plague"?

"Plague" is pronounced /ˈplāg/.

What is the origin of the word "Plague"?

"Plague" comes from Middle English plage, from Late Latin plaga, from Latin, blow; akin to Latin plangere to strike plaint. First known use: 14th century.

What is another word for "Plague" meaning "to cause persistent suffering to"?

When "Plague" (verb) means to cause persistent suffering to, synonyms include afflict, agonize, anguish, bedevil, beset and besiege.